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Trivia: Musical Terms

Subject : trivia
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. A lighthearted piece - written in several movements - usually as background music for a social function.






2. A system of notation for stringed instruments. The notes are indicated by the finger positions.






3. A set of five musicians who perform a composition written for five parts.






4. In sheet music - an instruction to repeat the beginning of the piece before stopping on the final chord.






5. A chord comprised of three whole tones resulting in an augmented fourth or diminished fifth.






6. A rhythmic succession of musical tones - a melody for instruments and voices.






7. A canon where the melody is sung in two or more voices. After the first voice begins - the next voice starts singing after a couple of measures are played in the preceding voice. All parts repeat continuously.






8. The first section of a movement written in sonata form - introducing the melodies and themes.






9. A melodic or - sometimes a harmonic idea presented in a musical form.






10. A musical composition that has a romantic or dreamy character with nocturnal associations.






11. Time signature with three beats to the measure.






12. A system of notation for stringed instruments. The notes are indicated by the finger positions.






13. The period of music history which dates from the mid 1800's and lasted about sixty years. There was a strong regard for order and balance.






14. A symbol indicating that the note is to be diminished by one semitone.






15. Primary theme or subject that is developed.






16. The manner in which tones are produced with regard to pitch.






17. Male singers who were castrated to preserve their alto and soprano vocal range.






18. A short or brief sonata.






19. The raising and lowering a pitch of an instrument to produce the correct tone of a note.






20. A piece of music played at the end of a recital responding to the audiences enthusiastic reaction to the performance - shown by continuous applause.






21. Arranging a piece of music for an orchestra. Also - the study of music.






22. The performance of either all instruments of an orchestra or voices in a chorus.






23. A repeated phrase.






24. A quick - improvisational - spirited piece of music.






25. The first violin in an orchestra.






26. A composition written for three to six voices. Beginning with the exposition - each voice enters at different times - creating counterpoint with one another.






27. Music that is easy to listen to and understand.






28. A symbol in sheet music that returns a note to its original pitch after it has been augmented or diminished.






29. Music written for a lively French dance for two performers written in triple time.






30. Creating variation pitch in a note by quickly alternating between notes.






31. A mild glissando between two notes for an expressive effect.






32. Two or more voices or instruments playing the same note simultaneously.






33. Originally an improvised cadence by a soloist. Later it became a written out passage to display performance skills of an instrumentalist or performer.






34. A short light musical drama.






35. Ability to determine the pitch of a note as it relates to the notes that precede and follow it.






36. Often used in overtures - a composition that uses passages from other movements of the composition in its entirety.






37. The opening section of a piece of music or movement.






38. A scale consisting of only whole-tone notes. Such a scale consists of only 6 notes.






39. An instrumental lament with praise for the dead.






40. A whole note is equal to 2 half notes - 4 quarter notes - 8 eighth notes - etc.






41. The intonation - pitch - and modulation of a composition expressing the meaning - feeling - or attitude of the music.






42. An extended solo - often accompanying the vocal part of an aria.






43. Short detached notes - as opposed to legato.






44. One or more vocalists performing without an accompaniment.






45. The first violin in an orchestra.






46. Word to indicate that the movement or entire composition is to be played grandly.






47. One of the two modes of the tonal system. The minor mode can be identified by the dark - melancholic mood.






48. Tones used to embellish the principal melodic tone.






49. Singing in unison - texts in a free rhythm. Similar to the rhythm of speech.






50. A piece of music played at the end of a recital responding to the audiences enthusiastic reaction to the performance - shown by continuous applause.